TY  - JOUR
A1  - Sandten, Christian
A1  - Kreyenschmidt, Martin
A1  - Albach, Rolf
A1  - Fittschen, Ursula
T1  - The Thermo-Oxidative Degradation of Polyurethane Open-Cell Soft Foam Investigated Through Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry of Volatile Organic Compounds
T2  - Polymers
N2  - Polyurethane (PUR) soft foams release malodorous and potentially toxic compounds
when exposed to oxidative conditions. Current chamber test methods cannot distinguish between
pre-existing volatiles and those formed during oxidation, nor can they assess the formation rates
of oxidation products. We subjected PUR soft foam to oxidative treatment in a continuous air
flow at 120 ◦C. Emissions were convectively transferred from the foam to an exhaust port and
analyzed using a thermodesorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) system,
with external calibration employed for the quantification of selected analytes. The study identified
hydroperoxide formation and degradation as key mechanisms in the breakdown of the polyether soft
segments. This process predominantly produces volatiles, such as carboxylic acids, formates, acetates,
alpha-hydroxy-ketones, (unsaturated) aldehydes, substituted dioxolanes and dioxanes, glycols,
and allyl ethers. Volatiles associated with the degradation of the hard segments include aniline,
benzoxazole, 2-methylbenzoxazole, and benzaldehyde. This experimental setup enables reproducible
qualitative and quantitative analysis of volatiles formed during the oxidative degradation of PUR
soft foams, providing new insights into the segment-dependent chemical pathways of the polymer’s
molecular breakdown.
Y1  - 2025
UR  - https://www.hb.fh-muenster.de/opus4/frontdoor/index/index/docId/19090
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hbz:836-opus-190902
UR  - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/16/23/3342
VL  - 2024
ER  -